The present invention relates to a system for periodically maintaining non-fuel fluids required for proper performance by various industrial and transportation devices such as manufacturing equipment and on- or off-highway vehicles and the like (hereafter collectively referred to as xe2x80x9capparatusxe2x80x9d). More specifically, this invention relates to a cost effective system for maintaining non-fuel fluids (hereafter xe2x80x9cfluidsxe2x80x9d) that are lost, consumed or deteriorate during apparatus use. The system can further record and report fluid condition and maintenance performed in a manner that can allow failed or failing apparatus systems or components to be identified and repairs to be scheduled, that can certify the apparatus"" regulatory compliance, that can allow apparatus, apparatus sub-system, or apparatus operator performance to be optimized, or that can allow managing the cost of apparatus operation.
Periodic fluid maintenance is essential for the proper operation and long service life of various apparatus. Fluid maintenance can include for example monitoring fluid levels such as engine oil, gear oils, chassis lubricant, coolant, windshield washer, brake and tire-air, replenishment of consumed or lost fluids, replacement of used fluids, and renewal of maintenance items/components such as cleaning fluid filters for improved apparatus performance and/or longer apparatus life. As used herein, xe2x80x9cfluid(s)xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmaintenance fluid(s)xe2x80x9d means any non-fuel fluid that can flow through a conduit including liquids, gases, semi-solids, electric current and fine particulates. Examples of liquids are engine oil, grease lubricant, metalworking fluid, hydraulic fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and cleaning fluid. Examples of gases are air, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and refrigerant. Examples of semi-solids are greases. Examples of fine particles are abrasives.
These periodic maintenance requirements are considered by most to be, at the very least, an inconvenience, and more typically, an unwanted burden of apparatus operation or ownership that add significantly to operating costs. Costs incurred are both direct, (e.g., labor, records keeping and materials, including any waste disposal, of the maintenance process) and indirect (e.g., lost productivity while the apparatus is being maintained). In addition to being an unwanted burden to the apparatus owner or operator, maintenance items associated with fluids can be an environmental burden if the owner or operator does not properly dispose of the used fluids.
A variety of methods and systems have been disclosed that attempt to minimize the fluid maintenance burden. One approach is to simply provide the apparatus operator or maintenance provider with a better diagnosis of when maintenance is required. For transportation apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,768, Schwartz et al., July 1989, discloses a system and method for indicating the remaining useful life of engine oil during engine operation based on engine operating parameters. U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,201, DeGraaf, October 1998, discloses a navigation system that displays service reminders at user-defined intervals, and directions to a vehicle service location. A limitation of simply providing information as to when to perform the maintenance is that this alone does little to relieve the burden of actually performing the maintenance.
Another approach to minimizing the fluid maintenance burden is the use of off-apparatus methods and systems to reduce the time or the inconvenience of the fluid maintenance operations. For transportation apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,624, Peterson, February 1975, discloses a gasoline service lane for a gas station with a recessed service pit that allows a service technician to perform work under the vehicle while the vehicle is being refueled. U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,372, Edwards et al., July 1998, discloses an automated system for evacuating used fluid from a fluid receptacle, such as the oil sump of an internal combustion engine, and replenishing with fresh fluid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,940, Sumimoto, March 1999, discloses a method for total or partial exchange of lubricant oil when a vehicle stops at a gas station for refueling. Stand-alone quick oil-change facilities also fall into this category of off-apparatus methods and systems. Known art in this off-apparatus approach, in general, reduces the time and, in some cases, the inconvenience of apparatus fluid maintenance. These off-apparatus service methods and systems, however, do not remove the operator or service technician burden of scheduling time for when the fluid maintenance is to be performed. Nor do they provide a convenient means of tracking and recording the fluid maintenance details for individual apparatus that have fluid maintenance performed at a multitude of locations during the apparatus"" operational life.
Another approach to minimizing the fluid maintenance burden is the use of on-apparatus methods and systems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,882, Meuer et al., November 1990, discloses a central lubricating installation that automatically lubricates components at regular intervals and varies the pumping time per each grease application based on the starting current of the pump motor. For transportation apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,339, Graham et al., May 1998, discloses an on-apparatus method and system for automatically replacing an engine""s used lubricating oil with fresh oil during engine operation based on operating conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,318, Boyle et al., October 1999, discloses a system and method for sensing the quality of an engine""s lubrication oil to diagnose potential engine failure and to automatically replace used oil with fresh oil to maintain oil quality.
While on-apparatus approaches potentially offer the best solution to fluid maintenance burdens, these systems also create other ownership burdens. On-apparatus systems have relatively high cost and, particularly those that maintain fluids, can have large space requirements for reservoirs, pumps and other needed equipment. This creates the burden of substantially higher apparatus cost, which may be acceptable for mission critical or high-value apparatus, but is unacceptable or not practical for many apparatus. In addition, for on-apparatus fluids maintenance systems, maintenance is not fully eliminated, since the operator or service technician must still fill fresh fluid reservoirs and, in some cases, empty used fluid reservoirs on a regular basis.
Another approach to minimizing the fluid maintenance burden that reduces the cost and space requirements of on-apparatus solutions is the use of on-apparatus/off-apparatus methods and systems. This approach places most of the costly and bulky fluid maintenance equipment in a central location that services a multitude of apparatus, and places only apparatus-specific fluid maintenance equipment on the individual apparatus. For transportation apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,621,938, Beattie, November 1971, discloses a lubricating system for applying grease to apparatus using an off-apparatus pump and reservoir that connects at a single point to an on-apparatus network that distributes the grease to individual components. The Beattie invention, however, does not determine the precise amount of grease to apply to individual apparatus, nor does the system record how much grease is applied.
Further for transportation apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 2,966,248, Armbruster, December 1960, discloses a system with an on-apparatus general supply port that allows the apparatus operator, in one operation, to purchase fuel and engine oil and to receive other maintenance fluids such as air, water, distilled water, and grease for free. This system also provides for charging the apparatus"" battery during fluid purchase, and automatically photographing the apparatus"" license numbers to record apparatus use of the system. While this system provides the convenience of replenishing apparatus fluids in one location, the system does not allow for determining fluid quality, maintaining fluid quality by exchanging maintenance fluids for used fluids, renewing fluid filters, and documenting and reporting the actual fluid maintenance provided.
The known prior art, either alone or in combination, does not provide a complete, cost-effective fluid maintenance system that automatically determines when fluid maintenance is required, determines and controls the fluid maintenance process, and records and reports the fluid/apparatus condition and fluid maintenance actions performed. The prior art has not changed the current fluid maintenance paradigm in a manner that significantly reduces the overall apparatus ownership inconvenience and burden.
The present invention relates to a cost-effective system that allows apparatus fluid maintenance to occur automatically with minimal effort and time, to reduce the inconvenience and burden of the owner or maintenance provider.
One feature of the invention is that only one fluid can be maintained or a multitude of fluids can be maintained at the same time by the system.
Another feature of the invention is that if multiple fluids are communicated between on-apparatus components and off-apparatus components of the system at an off-apparatus fluid maintenance facility, the system can have either one apparatus fluid communication port or multiple apparatus fluid communication ports.
Another feature of the invention is that information related to the fluid condition and maintenance actions taken can be recorded by a controller.
Another feature of the invention is that information related to the fluid condition and maintenance actions taken can be reported by the controller in a manner that can be used in a variety of ways, for example:
to schedule a repair/maintenance that is not provided at the off-apparatus fluid maintenance facility;
to provide data to a service provider to optimize apparatus, apparatus sub-system or operator performance;
to provide manufacturers a maintenance history of apparatus components or sub-systems returned for warranty repair or replacement;
to provide manufacturers real-world performance and maintenance information for optimizing apparatus component or sub-system design and manufacture;
to allow complete analysis of apparatus operation cost;
to alert a regulatory enforcement agency if the apparatus, or an apparatus component or sub-system is out of compliance.
Another feature of the invention is that the fluid maintenance can be tailored to the needs of the individual apparatus or of the individual apparatus owner or operator.
Another feature of the invention is that only those on-apparatus fluid maintenance sub-systems/components are included that can be cost justified, based on a real-time operator or service-provider need-to-know, or that are apparatus specific for sensing and/or for communicating information or fluids used.
Another feature of the invention is that the majority of the costly and bulky sub-systems/components for fluid maintenance is located offapparatus (e.g., at a fixed fluid maintenance facility where the apparatus is brought for fluid maintenance, etc. or a mobile fluid maintenance facility that is brought to the location of the apparatus for fluid maintenance, etc.) for use by a multitude of apparatus to reduce per-apparatus cost.
Another feature of the invention is that the off-apparatus fluid maintenance sub-systems/components of the system can be placed in a controlled, less harsh, operating environment with easier serviceability than if the sub-systems/components were mounted on the apparatus.
Another feature of the invention is that off-apparatus maintenance sub-systems/components of the system can replenish or replace apparatus fluids to maintain the quality or level of the fluids.
Another feature of the invention is that the system can renew contaminant removal components, such as filters, by backflushing either with used fluids as they are removed during the maintenance operation, or with specific cleaning or renewing fluids to maintain the operation of the contaminant removal components.
Another feature of the invention is that all apparatus fluid maintenance is handled at an off-apparatus fluid maintenance facility where proper fluid handling practices are easy to control and include used fluid disposal, thus minimizing potential hazard for the environment.
The foregoing and other aspects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the drawings.